Tuner



Oct. 31, 1939. HA z. BENTON TUNER 'Filed June 7, 1938 4 SheeLs--Sheel l INVENTOR HRLO Z. EEA/70N Oct. 31, 1939. H z, BENTON 2,177,683

TUNER u Filed June '7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HAROLD Z. BENTN BY Y m AT REY @ich EL 193g. Hl XENTQN 'gj TUNER Filed June '7, 1.958 1- xets-Sheet 3 f in Q w 1 w MUT/N6 SWITCH INVENTOR HARDLD Z. BENTON Oct. 31, 1939. H. z. BENTON TUNER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 7, 1958 We. lz A D l. m m H Patented Oct. 3l, 193,9

UNITD -s'rATEs .PATENT OFFICE4 TUNER Harold Z. Benton, Glencoe, lll., assignor to Crowe Name Plate aManufacturing o.', Chicago, Ill., a corporation Illinois' Application Jne 7, 1938, Serial Non 212,311

1o claims. (cli 172-239),

The invention herein disclosed relates to tuners for radio receiving sets. Y Objects of the invention are to provide mechanism in the form of a small compactunit, which lwill instantly and accurately tune a radioreceiving set to a desired, selected stationand which mechanism will be relatively inexpensive, readily manufactured and .'assembled and readily con`- nected with the set which it is to tune.

The foregoing and other desirable objects are attained -by the novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts hereinafter ings and broadly covered in the claims.

' 15 The drawings show by way of illustration one practical commercial embodiment of the invention. 'I'he structure however may be modified and changed in various vlays, all within the true intent and broad scope ofthe claims.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the unit, with the cas-` ing shown in section, as on substantially the planev of line I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation and part sectional view taken as on substantially the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on substantially the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 4,

s Fig.v 4 is a longitudinal sectional view as on substantially the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

v Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic and broken sectional representation of the electrical circuits of the device. I

Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the segmental4 contact wheels, with the mounting shaft appearing in section. y

Fig. 7 is a broken part sectional detail as on line 'l--lof Fig. 6.

Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, are broken part sectional views of aslightly modified embodiment, Fig. 8 being taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1,0; Fig. 9 on line 9-9 of Fig. 10; Fig. 10 as on line III-I0 of Fig. 8 and Fig. 11 as on line II-II of Fig. 10.

In the several'views, I0 designates a motor of the reversing type connected to drive the tuning shaft I I, through a set of reduction gears I2, and

' a clutch I3. In Fig.3, the last of the gears I2 is shown having a hub I4, loosely sleeved on the shaft and as pierced at I5, to receive the clutch.

pins I5, carried by the loose sleeve I1, and operating through'guide openings in a flanged member Il, pinned to theshaft at IS.- A spring 2l interposedbetween thisY iixed member and the loose-pin carrying member I1 tends toshift the latter upwardly in Fig. 3,7to retract the pins from openings Imthennlgear I2, tothus open the described, illustrated in the accompanying drawclutch. -The reverse clutch closing movement is effected by a magnet 2I, having an armature 22, pivoted at 23, on the magnet supporting bracket 24, and having a bent end portion forked vat 25,

)to engage over' the hu'b portion of the picarrying 5 sleeve, thus to close the clutch when the magnet is energized, substantially as indicated in Figi 3.

The tuning shaft is shownas having its ends exposed at the, opposite sides of the enclosing casing 26, so that it may readily be connected at 1,10

lone end with the radio receiver and at the other end beAconnected to or provided with means for manually adjusting the saine. In the illustration,

the upper end of the shaft is shown flattened at 2l, to-forma key for engagementby a flexible 15 drive shaft or other connection from the 'tuning' mechanism of a radio set and the other end of the shaft is shown as .slotted at 28, for engagement bythe end of a iiexible shaft from a manually actuated tuning dial or knob. Such con- 20 struction enables this motor unit to be located at any convenient point, irrespective of the particular mounting of the radio set or lthe tuning dial andhence renders Ithe device particularly suitable for installation in motorA vehicles, Where 25 often the tuning mechanism is located at one point as on the instrument panel of the car, lwhile 'and having at its free end a V-shape'd contact 32, adapted to engage contact segments 33, 34, 40] 0n a shaft 35, driven by Worm and worm gear 36, 31,.from thek tuning shaft Il.

Figs. 6 and '7 show in detail the construction of the segmental contact members illustratingthe segments 33, 34, as substantially semi-circular in 45 arctiate extent and the rst segment as having a hub -portion 38, directly engaged on 'shaft 35, and .having secured to it by rivets 39, an insulating discl 40, to which the second segment 34 is secured by rivets 4I.' These latter fastenings also 50 secure a slip ring 42, Figs. 5 and '7, by which current is conducted to the second, insulatedv segment 34, by abrush 43.

A sustaining circuit is provided to maintain the 'motor circuit after pressure is removed from a-55 tit push button, the same being shown ln llgs. 3 and 5, as consisting of yielding contacts 44, connected at 45, in the respective push-button magnet cir cuits and engageable by the :individual armatures when attracted by the magnets.

The contact segments 33, 34, are shown as separated at their adjoining ends by V-shaned notches 46, which when they receive the \Jshaped Contact tips 32, permit a slight further movement of the armatures, lthat is to the position indicated in Fig. 3. This additional movement is taken advantage of to efiect a definite break: oli the motor circuit. The structure tor the nur pose is shown as consisting oi lugs or angularly eatending arms t1, at the pivot ends oi the arma tures engaging the cranked portion. ttl a roclr shaft iid, carry' at one end ro 1 l in the rlr oi' a pivoterl root: a cam. inortion 5t, controlling circuit contacts 53, EM, 55 5t. Elpring till, .is shown connected with the root". arin. till, normally hold the rocl l turned to the position indicated at Fig. 'vv e `the high portion oi'the cani will force spring contact Intl, into engagement with the second spring contact M, and cause the insulating fr, cer 5H, :attached to contact to thnist ci 'tact into circuitclosing engagement. W` l t ct 56. lliig. shows the reverse r' with the cooperating 'parts in the lEig. tion, the armature fully drawn into one oi; th notches in the contact wheel and lili 'the eranlredportion 4t ci the roclr. shaft to its upper limit, to thereby turn the high point oi the cam oii spring titl, to open circuit between contacts 53, 5e, and. between contacts t5 and titi.

The armature 22 ci the clutch closing magnet is shown as carrying a. routing switch Eil, on the back of the same, adapted to be closed as indi cated in Fig. 3s, when the armature is attracted to the clutch closing position.

The segmental contactors rotate with the shaft 35, on which they are mounted, for station sem lecting purposes, but are angularly adjustable on that shaft for the purpose of setting them to different stations. These results are attained in the illustration by lock nuts 6I, Fig. 1, on one end of the shaft, which clamp the selectors and intermediate spacing sleeves 62, against an abut" ment 63, at the far end of the shaft. An interposed spring washer 80, provides the necessary spring holding force and Washers 8l, Figs. 6 and 7, keyed on the shaft at.82, and engaging opposite faces of the shaft encircling portion 38, frictionally retain the selectors and further serve to limit Iangular adjustment by having shoulders 63, spaced approximately degrees apart, engageable by a pin or extrusion 64, on one side of the part 36.

Operation With opposite sides of an electrical source connected with the'push buttons and with the spring contacts 54, as indicated at 64, 65, Fig. 5, when a selected button 29 is depressed, current will flow from that button through a connection 66, to one of the selector magnets 30, and return by' connections 61, 65, to the opposite side of the line. As this magnet attracts its armature 3l, the latter by engagement with spring contact 44, will close a sustaining circuit through the magnet, independent of the push button, said circuit starting from the source at 64, including connection 6B, to sprintr contact 55, and the companion contact 56, with which it is then held engaged by cam 52, connection 69 to armature 3|,

caracas the baclr contact Mi, connection 45 to magnet 35 and return connections 61, 65. Sufficient lost motion is provided between rock. arm 5D and the toria 1t in the cani rocker 5l, so that inward movement of the armature limited .by engagement 5 of the tip 32, of the saine with the surface of one ci the control segments 33, 34, will not be sufficient to roel; the high. point of the cam 52, oil' the contact spring titi, and hence this holding circuit for the selector magnet will be maintained until the :motor has completed its station tuning movement, that is until the selector is rotated to the position where the armature tip 3ft will drop into one oi the notches 45, between the control. segments and which additional movement y ci the armature will tolte up the loot motion et lll, ,ad turn the rocher to the position indicated the high point of the cani tit,

" to interrupt circuit between spi igs lill, l

lli. the s man and one ot the notches tl tip ol" i condition illustrated in ly pull the Si, turning condition illus ."iig. toopen contacts.

.lit however, the selected station is not already tuned in, as is ordini lv the case, the selector magnet can only dr iv the armature in to the extent permitted by en nent of the tip 32, with the rim ci one oi the ments 33, fit. When this occurs, the motor cir uit is completed from 3f source t4, through line to contact spring 55, in engagement then wit,4 spring 5E, and through connection 55 to armature 3l, and the tip 32 ci the latter then acting as a brush in engage ment with one oi the control segments; if engaged with segment 33, which encircles at 3B (Fig. 6) and thereby contacts shaft 35, the current ilow will be by way of connection 1I, through one winding 12, and common return connections 13, to effect rotation of the motor in one direction; lf the armature brush 32 engages the other insulated segment 34, the circuit from that point will be by slip ring 42 and brush 43, and by Way of connection 14 to the other, reversing Winding 15, and common connections 13, to effect rotation of the motor :in the opposite direction. The return connections from the motor in each nstance, include wiring 16, to the clutch magnet 2 I, and from that through connection 11, to contact spring 53, and the spring 54, with which it is engaged, to connection 65, back to the other side of source.

Thus the motor is cut into circuit and caused to rotate one way or the other, for the shortest extent of travel, to bring in the desired station and at the end of such travel, the armature tip drops into one of the notches 46, rocking the cam 52, to open all circuits, including that of the clutch magnet which has been maintained closed during the tuning operation. With declutching accomplished by cle-energization of clutch magnet 2|, the motor is free to coast without disturbing the tuning. In entering the notch 46, at the end of the tuning movement, the V- shaped armature brush 32, has a tendency to and may` actually momentarily cut in both the lorward and reverse windings 12, 15, providing thereby a magnetic braking action to promptly stop the motor. This need not howeveractually bring the motor to a dead stop, since the clutch is opened immediately the tuning isv accomplished. Immediately following the opening of j selector magnet armature in notch 46, and thus hold that selector stationary on shaft 35, while tuning in the station through manual adjustment of the tuning shaft Il.

The cranked portion 48 of rock shaft 49, bearing as it does on the angled ends of 'the armatures and biased by spring 51, serves as a common means for `clearing the armatures of the selector magnets. By placing thev selectors as shown in Fig. 1, with the slip rings 42, of adjoining selectors directly opposite, a single brush 43, may be used for each pair of slip rings.

The. yielding contacts 44, for the magnet sustaining circuits are shown as all mounted on an insulated swinging yoke 18, allowing the necessary movement for the action described.

In thesomewhat simplified. form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 1l, the heels 4,1 of the armatures 3l, engage adjustable set screws 585, on the universal bar portion 48a, of rock shaft 49, and the latter carries at one" end an insulating lever, 50a, directly engageable with thev upper spring contact 53, for closing the two control circuits. The eliminationA of the rocking cam 5l (Fig. 5) in this construction, renders the action more simple and direct and eliminates possibility of the cam slipping or shifting out of position. Also, this construction has the advantage of enabling adjustment of the lost motion at each armature desirable for the best operation of the unit.

All parts of the unit are of simple sturdy construction and the action is rapid and accurate. While the structure illustrated constitutes a present practical and preferred embodiment, it will be realized from the scope of the claims .that manyV changes may ,be made, all within the in. tent of the invention. Also it should be understood that terms employed havebeenw used in a descriptive rather than in a limitingsense, except as the intent plainly appears or state of the prior art may require'.

What is .claimed is:

1; A tuning unit of the character disclosed, comprising in combination a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor and having rela,- tively insulated contact segments separated at their ends, electrical connections from said selector segments to said motor, selector magnets, armatures actuated by said magnets and havl ing contact making ends engageable with saidV segments and adapted to d rop 'into the'intervening spaces between the segments to permit further movement `of said armatures, Selection switches for said'magnets and circuit controllirig\ contacts for said vmagnets engageable by said l armatures and yieldable to permit said further movement thereof.I I y 3A tuning unit of the character disclosed, comprising in combination a reversing motor, se-

l lectors rotatable by said motor and having relaland under control of said motor circuit control means.

4. A tuning unit of Ythe character disclosed, comprisingl in `combination a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor and having relatively insulated contact segments separated at their ends, electrical connectionsv from said selector segments to said motor selector magnets, armatures'actuated by said magnets and having contact making ends engageable with said segments and adapted to drop into the intervening spaces between the segments to permit further movement of said armatures, selector switchesl for said magnets and circuit controlling means' for said motor operable by said further movement permitted said armatures, said circuit controlling means including relatively separable con-vI tacts, a rocker controlling engagement and separation of said contacts and operating connections from said armatures to said rocker.

5. A tuning unit of the ycharacter disclosed, comprising in combination a reversing motor, se-

lectors rotatable by said motor, 'and having relao K tively insulated contact segments separated at their ends, electrical connections from saidselector segments to said motor, selector magnets, armatures actuated by said magnets and having contact making ends engageable with said segments and adapted to drop into 4the intervening spaces between the segments to permit further movement of said armatures, selector switches for said magnetsand circuit controllingY means for said motor operable by .said further movement permitted said armatures, said circuit controlling means including relatively separable contacts., a rocker controlling engagement and separation of said contactsand operating connectionsfrn said armatures to' said rocker, said operating connections including a .rock'shaft acitable by any one of/ the armatures and having a lost motion driving engagement with thecontact actuating rocker.

' 6. A` tuning unit of the character disclosed, comprising in combination a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor'and having relatively insulated contact segments separated at their ends, electrical connections from said selector segments to said motor, yselector magnets,

est`

armatures actuated by said magnets and having contact making ends engageable with said segments and adapted `to drop into the intervening spaces between the segments to permit further movement of said armatures, selector switches tor said magnets and circuit controlling means for said motor operable by said further movement permitted said armatures, said circuit controlling means including contacts, a cani for controlling the same, a rock shaft having a cranked portion engaging the armatures, a roel; arm carried by said shaft and engaging said cam and a spr acting on said rock shai't to turn the .same in a direction to clear the armatures or the selector magne.

7. A tuning unit, comprising in combination, selector' magnets, means for individually energiaing the same, armature levers operable by said magnets and provided with. Contact tips, selectors having relatively insulated segments engagcable by said contact tips and notches between the ments for entry of the armature tips to permit further nal movement of said armatures, a

motor having reversing windings connected with said relatively insulated segments, a tuning shaft operated by said motor and speed reduction gearw ing between said tuning shaft and selectors, a rock shaft engaging the armatures and biased to shift said armatures away from the selector magnets and a circuit controller for the motor actuated from said rock shaft.

8. A tuning unit oi the character disclosed, comprising in combination, a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor and having relatively insulated contact segments, electrical connections between said. selector segments and reversing motor, selector magnets, armatures actuated by said magnets and having contacts engageable Withsaid segments, a rocking universal caracas bar operable by said armatures, a rock lever operable by said universal bar, circuit controlling means for said motor including circuit controlling contacts operable by said rock lever and selector switches icr said magnets.

9. A tuning unit of the character disclosed, comprising in combination, a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor and having relatively insulated contact segments, electrical connections between said selector segments and reversing motor, selector magnets, armatures actuated by said magnets and having contacts engageable with said segments, a rocking universal bar operable by said armatures, a rock lever operable by said universal bar, circuit controlling means for said motor including circuit controlling contacts operable by said rock lever and selector switches tor said magnets and independently adinstable set screws for regulating lost motion and engagement between. the individual armatures and said universal bar.

10. A tuning unit of the character disclosed, comprising in combination, a reversing motor, selectors rotatable by said motor and having relatively insulated contact segments, clectrical connections between said selector segments and rcversing motor, selector magnets, armatures actuated by said magnets and having contacts en gageable with said segments, a rocking universal bar operable by said armatures, a rock lever operable by said universal bar, circuit controlling means for said motor, including circuit contro1- ling contacts operable by said rock lever and selector switches for said magnets and sustaining circuit means for said magnets including a spring biased universal bar provided with contacts enf gageable by the individual armatures.

HAROLD Z. BENTON. 

